The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-03-02

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liberal and public spirited journal. to ex-
press their sentiments through its col
umns, take this opportunity to COM
ment upon an article that appeared
in the last issue of your valuable paper,
headed, "Our Schools" and signed, IA
Friend of Education"
The first thing | wish to call attention
to, Is the following paragraph in this
article: again the children will be run
ming wild, and in every way undolng
the good that has been accomplished
during the past session." If Six months
will undo all the good accomplished, the
good accomplished must he very little or
of very poor quality. 1t is a natural
and physiological law that when any
course of study has been thoroughly
mastered and digested, the effects of the
consequent development of mind can
never be obliterated If that were not
so, it would be to very little purpose for
taxpayers to be overburdened with tax
alton for the support of public educa-
tlonal institutions. I would further re-
mind Mr.. Friend of Education that the
word education is divided by Webster
into three branches-intellectua moral,
and physical-the first children receive
at school, the second at home or at
church, and the third on the playground.
So parents can be satisfied that if their
children are not receiving intellectual
development, they are cultivating the
physical system by healthful play and
invigorating exercise. Some of the
foremost and enlightened educators have
come to the conviction that, for useful
life brains are of very little account if
there are no muscles to do their bidding;
In short, they have learned that without
ply sical vitality the profoundest learn
ing, The most charming talents and the
best accomplishments are of little use to
a man in whatever field of life he may
be engaged, They are coming to believe
in and advocate longer vacations. Boze-
man Is provided with good Sunday
schools, so there is no danger of chill
dren suffering for want of moral teach
ing; and think there is little danger of
them becoming so wild as to become
unmanageable.
He next asserts that "the shortness of
the session has given our principal little
opportunity to demonstrate his ability
as thorough organizer, but, short as it
has been, he has conclusiyely proved
that he can bring order out of chaos"
This il simply dogmatic statement,
unsupported by any evidence whatever.
l make the emphatic statement and the
positive assertion, and call upon anyone
to refute it or prove the contrary; that
the schools are now in worse condition
and more demoralized than they have
ever been since the incumbency of H. H.
Howe. If the author had said that Mr..
Davis had conclusively proved his abil-
ity to subvert order into chaos he would
have spoken nearer the truth. What.
ever may be said against the ability and
methods of A. c. McComb as an instruc-
tor and organizer, the insinuation that
he did not keep order, regularity and
system in the schools during his admin
istration, has q very weak and sandy
foundation. Any candid mind that
will carefully and without predjudice
examine into the history of the schools
during the principalship of Prof. Nc
Comb. and then survey the present con-
dition of them, will Danish all such
imaginary and unfonnded illusions.
The next thing he comments upon, is:
81 am pleased to see that language--a
subject so often ncglected-is receiving
the attention that should be given it,
and the most improved and advanced
methods are being used in the teaching
of higher mathematics" OF cdtrse he
means Latin, German and Geometry.
What is wanted in our schools is more of
the practical and less of the ornamental.
The managers of our schools should see
that our children are thoroughly drilled
and educated in the practical and ele-
mentary branches. What is the good of
smattering of German and Latin with
out good, substantial, Shakespearian
English education? Or, what good is
smattering of Geometry without thor
ough and complete knowledge of the
lower branches of mathematics?
prnf Doviu hos too much vanity opI